Dietitians for Breastfeeding Mothers Yakima WA

Local resource for dietitians for breastfeeding mothers in Yakima. Includes detailed information on local businesses that provide access to expertise on such topics as nutritional recommendations for new mothers, which include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, omega-3, and lean protein, as well as advice and content on postpartum care and recommended vitamins for vegetarian mothers, such as vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Eating Right For Pregnancy

Women who are planning on becoming pregnant or are already need to eat a balanced diet. If you're pregnant, you need to increase the number of calories you take in each day to provide for a growing fetus. Eating right is one of the most important things a woman needs to do to keep herself and her unborn child healthy. With a proper diet, the fetus will grow at a healthy rate, and good nutrition can help avoid low birth weight or premature delivery. The mother also needs a healthy diet, as she can suffer from infection, anemia, and a difficult birth if she doesn't get a variety of nutritional foods in her pregnancy diet.

A pregnant woman needs about 300 extra calories each day. However, this doesn't give you free reign to indulge in high fat treats and sweets. If you choose to fill your extra calorie intake with unhealthy foods, the fetus will take what it needs from your body. Instead, these extra calories should come from healthy sources, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein sources.

If you have certain dietary restrictions, or eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, you need to talk to a nutritionist to make sure you're getting all of the necessary nutrients. You'll need to make up protein sources from tofu, legumes and nuts. For a normal pregnancy, you'll need to consume the following every day:

-3-5 servings of vegetables

-2-4 servings of fruit

-2-3 servings of dairy products

-2-3 servings of meat and poultry (or vegetarian proteins)

-6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta

These servings break down into adequate amounts of protein for proper fetal development, calcium for healthy fetal and placental development, and iron for the mother and baby's blood supply. Iron also helps prevent anemia in the mother. Foods like leafy green vegetables and orange juice also contain folates folic acid is essential for preventing neural tube defects (anencephaly and spina bifida).

Besides eating a healthy diet, a woman who plans on becoming pregnant or already is needs to take a supplement containing folic acid and other nutrients. At least 400 micrograms of folic acid should be taken each day if you're trying to conceive, or if you are pregnant. Since neural tube defects occur in the first few weeks after conception, it's imperative that you take folic acid even if you aren't yet pregnant.

You should limit the amount of certain fish you eat because of high mercury content. Avoid fish with high mercur...

Vitamins and Minerals Needs For Nursing Moms

Most women know the importance of prenatal vitamins during pregnancy for the healthy development of their child, but a nursing mom also requires extra vitamins and minerals. Although your baby will get what he or she needs from breast milk even if you're lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, a nutritional diet combined with supplements is necessary for baby's long term health. Certain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6 and vitamin C are affected by what you eat, so it's important to maintain a healthy diet to ensure that your baby is getting adequate nutrition from breast milk.

It can be difficult to eat well after pregnancy and childbirth. When baby keeps you up all night it might be tempting to get by on coffee and sugar to stay awake, but it's not healthy for you or your baby. Every day, you should be eating between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables, three to four servings of dairy products, and two to three servings of protein such as lean meats or beans. Nursing moms should also be eating six to eleven servings of pasta, cereals and rice, and staying hydrated with at least eight glasses of water per day.

Breastfeeding requires a lot of nutrients, so you might need an additional supplement while you're nursing. Omega 3 is essential for the brain development of your baby, and calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. Other vitamins and minerals a nursing mom needs are iron, zinc and magnesium. Some breastfeeding mothers get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet, while others require a supplement to make up for deficiencies.

If you eat a vegetarian diet, you might need to supplement your diet with vitamin B12 and vitamin D, as well as iron and calcium. It's important that vegetarian or vegan moms get enough protein, which is found mostly in lean meats and fishes. Other good sources of protein include tofu, beans, and nuts.

The majority of vitamins and minerals don't affect breast milk levels and are very safe for...